Drinking
& Feeding Monitoring System
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This
sophisticated system is designed for automatically
recording and analyzing liquid and food consumption
of all laboratory animals. It allows an unlimited
number of measuring stations to be monitored by a
single computer! |
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System
configurations: |
Different
mounting devices are available depending on the type
of cage used. The sensors can also be integrated into
the wire lid of standard lab animal cages. In the
typical dual-sensor configuration one drinking and
one feeding sensor are combined for long-term studies
(shown above). For preference experiments up to 4
sensors can be allocated per cage!
Sensors installed according to the preference design: |
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The
system can also be configured with one single drinking
or feeding sensor. |
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All
sensors are adaptable to any cage type |
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Variable
sensor capacities are provided |
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The
system features highest resolution (down to
100µl/100mg) |
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The
sensor assemblies can also be motorized in order to
move food and liquid out of reach of the animals (deprivation).
The measuring system for small animals, e.g. rats,
uses drinking vessels with a capacity of 100 ml. Vessels
for large animals with volumes of up to 10 liters
are also available! The food basket is constructed
of stainless steel wire suitable for standard pellets.
The baskets can hold 100g or 400g food; other sizes
are provided on request. In order to study potential
drugs that could reduce the food intake (active agent
screening), Paired Feeding experiments can be carried
out for. |
| Data
acquisition: |
Several
test cages can be started simultaneously if required.
During the trial the sensor signals are monitored
every second. To compensate for vibrations the system
carries out a scatter control: if the signal variation
is less than a preset limit then data are stored;
otherwise the signals are rejected. A graphical overview
of the current status of the boxes can be called up
anytime enabling the operator to see the filling levels
of all sensors at a glance. Sensors can be refilled
during the experiment as often is required.
Trial Monitor: different sensor types are shown in
different colours. The accumulated amount removed
is given in millilitres/grams. |
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Status
tables can be exported for intermediate analysis of
longer-lasting experiments!
A trial can be automatically ended when a predetermined
time period has elapsed and/or when all the liquid/food
at a sensor station has been consumed. |
| Analysis |
The
comprehensive evaluation includes a run table listing
each single drinking and feeding event chronologically.
In the results table the animal's actions are outputted
for user-definable intervals either cumulatively or
as individual measurements (differentially). Data
can also be displayed graphically.
Run graph of a 3-day trial in a home-cage equipped
with one drinking and one feeding sensor: |
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A
detailed meal analysis allows to evaluate drinking
and feeding episodes according to user-set intermeal
intervals. Drinking/feeding sequences separated from
each other by time periods larger than this interval
are considered as individual meals. This is a perfect
tool for studying the daily rhythms of feeding and
drinking activity, i.e. to show the pattern over the
light-dark cycle.
All analytical results can be exported for further-reaching
complex statistics in the form of user-defined ASCII
files. |
| Options: |
Drinking
units can be modified with "stimulation modules" to
assess learning, memory or motivation ("Vogel" test).
Each time the animal touches the nipple an electrical
shock of variable length and intensity is then applied.
An extension of the system with sensors to record
amounts of excrement (faeces, urine) in a special
metabolism cage is also available. |
| FeedTime |
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Individual
feeding times and lengths are programmable according
to a user-defined time schedule |
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For
controlling up to 128 cages. |
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The
FeedTime system allows you to control the feeding
of small laboratory animals (rats, mice) at defined
time intervals. A software-controlled feeding roller
is used to enable or disable the animal's access to
the food. Individual feeding times and lengths are
programmable according to a user-defined time schedule. |
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